Right now.

Hi Ali,
Just wanted to say how excited I am for you guys to be having a little girl soon. I LOVE babies. I have 3 of my own who are a little over 2 years apart. They are 2, 4, & 6.
Don't worry about not remembering all the newborn parenting stuff. I think it starts coming back to you quickly & often found myself saying "oh yeah, this worked for Gabby & Braly & now it works for Morgan, whew."
I think sleeping when baby does works best when you have just one. You have to get a little more creative with the 2nd one. Maybe not when Simon is at school but when he's home. I breastfed all 3 of my babies & found that it helped to have children's books nearby my seat so I could read & spend some time with the older ones when I was feeding the little ones. Makes them feel appreciated & loved even though this new little person takes so much of Momma's time. Wear you baby in a Bjorn or sling & she'll probably be a dream baby. I did that with all 3 of mine & it helped us form a beautiful relationship. My sister didn't with her first 2 & then did with her last & she can't believe the world of difference it made in her youngest's disposition. He husband was pretty impressed too. And try not to 2nd guess your instincts. You've done this before & by the looks of how Simon is doing, I think you have done a fantastic job. Last thing, let someone else to the laundry & make dinners & other housework if they offer. You don't have to do it all. Enjoy your little girl. Children are so precious!

These were the best tips for me...
1. let as much sunshine in as I could - my daughter was born March 3 and we had snow on the ground that week, but still managed to let what sun we had through those cold windows.
2. Put a heating pad in the Moses basket/basinet to warm it up before that little swaddled bundled is placed in there. (Of course, remove it right before you put her in it)

So excited for you and this new step. You will do just fine.
My one piece of advice that I took to heart with my first is to just savor each and every moment. I did and still do, hug my son when I put him in and take him out of his carseat. I plan on doing the same with his sister when she arrives in about nine weeks.
Oh, and enjoy having a baby the same age as your sister's!!! Close in age cousins are the best! Foster that relationship!

Oh, the place your in right now is a wonderful one, and it is going to get so much better. Taking care of another infant is really like riding a bicycle. It is imbedded in your soul and it flow out of you without even thinking. I found that the second is easier on mind and body, you have been a parent before. I felt is was a sweeter experience because I didn't second guess myself, you have the confidence in knowing you can do this.
My only advice is not to rush through the days, enjoy all of it.

Good morning Ali. First of all, thank you for your wonderful blog. It is the first blog I read every morning because there is something about that provides a sense of calm. Your words, your art and your actions provide great inspiration to me.
I do not have children but from my observations I would say this:
1. Respect your children
2. Communicate with them, don't assume they won't understand something. They might suprise you.
3. Love them unconditionally
From your blog, it sounds like you already know these things but sometimes a reminder never hurts.
I can't wait to meet your new blessing.

Wishing you all the very best as you bring your new baby into the world.

Tip 1: Costco has these GREAT fruit smoothie mixes right now. 1 cup of milk+blender= healthy, one handed meal/snack (we ALL know that you become one handed with a newborn!). I get the feeling that you're not a big user of "convience" foods, but this one might actually be worth the packaging!
Tip 2: If you're going to nurse, the "My Breast Friend" pillow is worth every stinkin penny of the $35 cost. It's flat so baby doesn't roll off like the Boppy, and it's ever so much eaiser on the inscision site to have baby resting on the pillow to nurse!

good luck to you ali. i'm sure it will all be smooth and so amazing. my son is 4 now and my daughter just turned 2, one thing i tried to do was always make ethan feel special during this time when nora came home. i had also went with ethan to the store to pick out a gift (of his choosing) so that he could give her a present from him when he first met her at the hospital. best wishes.

No two babies are the same, and don't stress out about not being there for Simon when he needs you, it'll happen. There is this natural balance that occurs and you will be able to fulfill all you hoped for both your children. I too had c-sections and thought the 2nd was worse because it was schedule and my body never really went into hard larbor as the first. And afterwards I couldn't pick up my then 3 year old, but Simon is older and will understand to be gentle with Mommy. I wish you all the luck and blessings.

Congratulations. You will be surprised at how much you forgotten and how much you've remembered. Something that I wasnt prepared for when having my second child and it only lasted a couple of days was , guilt. I felt guilty that my new baby wasn't getting the undivided attention that his older sister had and that my older child was no longer getting my undivided attention. Like I said, it only lasted a couple of days but I wasnt prepared for those feelings.
Many joyful blessings.

Hi Ali! I'm so excited for you! I also have a 7-year-old Simon (he'll be 8 in June), and I also just had a second child, also a girl! No worries, everything comes back! It is so wonderful, and just wait until you see how much Simon will love her! :) All the best! Renee

So happy and excited for you, Ali! Big hugs!!
Les

As the mother of 4, I was gonna try to remember some great tips for the first few weeks, but seems like you've already got the important ones figured out (sleeping, enjoying the moment, and spending time w/ other children). It took me way too many years to realize some of those. As far as the c-section thing goes - I had four!! The last one I told the Dr he should have just installed a zipper the first time.
Just enjoy them both...... they grow up too fast.

It's like riding a bike, it will all come back to you. Best of luck and enjoy.

I'm so excited for you and eager for my second this summer. You are a great mom and I am sure just being you will play a big role in all of your happiness. Those early weeks are hard, but you have a good team and will do great!

I have been reading for quite some time but I dont' think I've ever commented... I just wanted to wish you the best with the new baby, I can't wait to "meet" her!
Seeing Simon through your eyes, I can tell your daughter is going to be wonderful and truly loved as well!

So glad to hear that your Mom will be there to help you, especially since you are having a C-section. I'm sure Simon will benefit from having her there also. A new arrival is a little tough on any sibling, but you know the autism thing makes it a little harder to deal with change. It was pretty tough for my son Alex when his sister came along but now they are the best of friends. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. Best of luck to you and I can't wait to see some sweet baby pictures!

The best piece of advice I got that I didn't think about ahead of time was about my "fur child". When you come home from the hospital with your precious girl, let Chris carry her into the house so that Lilly can greet you with all the enthusiasm she is sure to feel. She missed you, too, and didn't get to visit you in the hospital. The last thing you want is for her to distrust the baby because when it arrived in the house, you yelled at Lilly to get back. If your dog is as much a member of the family as ours, you want her to be thrilled to see you and the baby, too, not to find the baby a threat to her relationship with you. Blessings and a little Irish luck, too.

Hi Ali-the second c-sections is so much better than the first, so rest easy, I am sure you will experience the same...Advice, you are a smart mom and person and will figure it out as to how to balance it all. Love, compassion and patience is what it takes, and you have all those qualities, so you will be fine in stepping into the big change in your life. Having a girl is so much fun and so different than the boy...I have an 11 yr old son, and boy/girl twins that are 9yrs old, and raising a girl is very different from raising boys...when they get older, it is like having a live barbie with all the clothes there is to buy, and the accessories to put in their hair, and they want their ears pierce, nail polish,ohhh is so fun! I am very excited for you! Good Luck and I look forward to reading about your family in the weeks to come! Cannot wait to see the pics of your new baby girl!

Ali - All the best. Welcoming a new child is huge and I believe you are going to do great!Simon seems like he is going to be a great big brother!
I had mine real close together (not by choice!) So we never had that freak out about the family unit (my daughter was 17 months when my son was born). Just remember that babies cry - something doesn't always have to be wrong and it's okay to cry along with them!! Your lucky to have your mom there - cherish every moment of that, some of us are not so lucky! Enjoy the help and don't feel guilty about it!! GOOD LUCK!!!